Lost in a Reverie 18+ Only (Book 1 of Lastor Series) ['23/'24 EDIT]

Chapter 2

The party was in full swing and Father stood at the dais in front of the crowd in all his might, clinking his glass of champagne with his golden ring. The guests silenced, their attention focused on him. He flashed them a smile that rivaled perfection itself.

"Good Evening, our dearest friends! On behalf of my family, I thank you all for coming and celebrating my beautiful daughter's birthday with us. Vivien.... Where are you, princess?"

I had been standing behind one of the pillars at the other end of the hall, hidden from the rest of the party and chatting silently with Andrea. I stepped out of the shadows, raising my glass.

"I'm here, Father!"

The crowd parted for me and I cringed at having all their eyes set upon me, scrutinizing me like a zoo animal.

"Ah! There you are!" Father exclaimed in fake glee. "Happy Birthday, my sweet Vivien! I pray to all the Gods you become a woman of honor, for you to be happy, to forever remain as steadfast as you are now, and successful in whatever you wish to pursue in your life. We will always support and love you! Happy Birthday!"

He raised his glass towards me. I forced a smile and raised my glass as the guests greeted me a happy birthday in unison. He went on a spiel about me donating a million dollars to an orphanage in Honduras as my thanksgiving for a healthy twenty-four years, which unsurprisingly I had no knowledge of but supported and applauded all the same. If it was what he wanted, then by all means.

"God, kill me already," I heard Andrea mutter as she leaned against the pillar across from me. I arched a brow, watching her crane her neck in searching for something. "See, this is why I told you to steal a bottle!" she hissed, waving her empty flute at my face. "It's so we won't have to deal with this shit!"

I rolled my eyes, tilting my head lightly to look around us but the other guests had already gone back to their own circles, easily ignoring us as we hid in the dark. I glanced behind us where the maid assigned to shadow me was standing idly by the corner, her eyes on the floor. I snapped my fingers twice and instantly, she was at my side. Andrea rolled her eyes while I simply smirked.

"Yes, Miss Lastor."

"Be a dear and fetch Miss Allen a bottle of champagne, will you?"

She bowed in recognition before scurrying away.

"You're such a brat," my dear best friend spat.

I snorted, taking a sip from my champagne. "Tell me something I don't know, babe."

"I fucked your brother."

I choked, my eyes widening while she hollered. "No... you did not. He would never... you promised... you... he... ugh... no."

"I didn't," she snickered and I wanted to hit her pretty face till it turned blue. "I tried to but the prick just kept talking shit about how I should respect myself and that he would never take advantage of me because I deserved better and all that crap." She rolled her eyes, pushing her thick waves of blonde hair off her shoulder. "I walked out before I barfed on him."

I groaned, pressing my temples. "Why would you even think of pulling that crap with him?"

She shrugged. "I was fifteen and wanted to lose my virginity to someone I trusted. Also, he's hot."

"Fifteen?" I hissed lowly. "When were you planning to tell me this?"

"Wasn't going to but I couldn't think of anything that you didn't already know so..." She shrugged again. "Are you sure he's not gay, babe? I mean, seriously. I've never seen him with a pretty girl on his arm before and having a pretty girl on your arm is practically a thing in the Lastor family." She gestured at us. "Exhibit A."